US 2019/0204055 A1Published application

Mortar system with improved gas seal

OwnerIgor Abramovinventor

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Abstract

An obturator ring (4) for a mortar round (2) is proposed where the geometry of the ring (4) is modified by its sliding and striking stationary anvil (18) when the round (2) is placed in the muzzle-loaded mortar's barrel (6) and reaches its bottom. The initial ring (4) geometry does not impede round's travel down the barrel (6) while its modified geometry provides a gas seal between the round (2) and the barrel (6) wall. Several embodiments featuring free-rotating (4), splined non-rotational (4a) and stationary separated (12a-14a) designs are presented. The ring works with both smoothbore and rifled mortar barrels and in several embodiments imparts rotation to the round (2) if used in a rifled barrel (6). An optimized muzzle-loaded mortar barrel (6) operating in cooperation with rounds equipped with the obturator ring of instant invention is also presented, containing rifled (6a) and smoothbore (6b) sections.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mortar system comprising:

an elongated tubular barrel, said barrel having an open muzzle end and an opposing sealed end, said barrel used in a generally upright position with said sealed end located at the bottom,
a mortar projectile, said projectile comprising an essentially ogive nose section, an essentially cylindrical middle section and a tail section,
said projectile further comprising a propelling charge located essentially in said tail section,
said projectile further comprising a propelling charge initiator located in said tail section,
said projectile insertable by said tail section first into said muzzle of said barrel,
said projectile after insertion moving downward inside said barrel by the action of gravity,
said projectile after striking the bottom of said barrel causing said initiator after a delay to ignite said propelling charge,
said propelling charge generating propelling gasses after ignition,
said projectile having its maximum diameter at said middle section,
said barrel having inner diameter larger than said maximum diameter of said projectile,
said projectile further comprising obturator mechanism,
said obturator mechanism energized by the force of gravity,
said obturator mechanism comprising an annular deformable obturator ring,
said obturator ring capable of assuming two shapes, namely, a) an initial shape having outer diameter smaller than said inner diameter of said barrel, and b) a deformed shape having outer diameter generally equal to said inner diameter of said barrel,
said obturator mechanism further comprising obturator ring deforming element,
said deforming element capable of transforming said obturator ring from said initial shape into said deformed shape,
wherein said initial shape of said obturator ring permits unimpeded downward movement of said projectile inside said barrel,
wherein said obturator ring assumes said deformed shape by action of said deforming element after said tail section of said projectile strikes said sealed end of said barrel,
wherein said obturator ring assumes said deformed shape prior to ignition of said propellant charge,
wherein said obturator ring assumes said deformed shape prior to upward movement of said projectile inside said barrel,
wherein said deformed shape of said obturator ring creates a gas seal between said obturator ring and said internal surface of said barrel,
wherein said propelling gas is captured inside said barrel by said gas seal,
wherein said propelling gas expels said projectile from said barrel.

20 more elements

A mortar system comprising:

a tubular barrel, said barrel having an open muzzle end and an opposing sealed end,
said barrel further comprising a plurality of internal helical grooves,
said barrel used in a generally upright position with said sealed end located at the bottom,
a mortar projectile, said projectile comprising an essentially ogive nose section, an essentially cylindrical middle section and a tail section,
said projectile insertable by said tail section inserted first into said muzzle of said barrel,
said projectile after insertion moving downward inside said barrel by the action of gravity,
said projectile igniting propelling charge after striking the bottom of said barrel after a delay,
said propelling charge after ignition generating propelling gasses,
said projectile having its maximum diameter at said middle section,
said barrel having inner diameter larger than said maximum diameter of said projectile,
said projectile further comprising obturator ring,
said obturator ring located essentially in said middle section of said projectile,
said obturator ring being deformable from a) an initial shape having outer diameter smaller than said inner diameter of said barrel, to b) a deformed shape having outer diameter generally equal to said inner diameter of said barrel,
said obturator ring being deformed by a deforming element to said deformed shape upon said projectile striking said sealed end of said barrel,
wherein said obturator ring assumes said deformed shape prior to ignition of said propellant charge,
wherein said obturator ring assumes said deformed shape prior to upward movement of said projectile inside said barrel,
said obturator ring in said deformed shape conforming by its outer margin to said helical grooves of said barrel,
said obturator ring in its said deformed shape creating gas seal between its outer margin and said internal surface of said barrel,
said obturator ring imparting rotation to said projectile by following said internal helical grooves of said barrel as said projectile is propelled from said barrel.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.